Teaching English in School

Teaching English at a School

In our teaching placements you will teach in either a private or government school. The children will usually be aged between about 4 and 18. Their levels will vary according to age and may also differ depending on whether you teach in a private college or government school. The children attending private school are taught six of their classes in English and one in Nepali while in the government school students learn six of their classes in Nepali and only one in English. Also, English levels will vary if you are teaching in a village school or in Kathmandu. If you are teaching in a school you will live nearby in a host family, usually with children or a teacher from your school.

Over 80% of children in rural Nepal have inadequate access to proper education. Remote, mountainous regions and the inability of Nepal's leaders to provide funding have led to an immense lack of basic schools supplies and schools that are in very bad condition. BVN attempts to access these areas by administering ongoing education programs with the help of our volunteers and their donations of stationery and books.

We place a strong emphasis on English teaching in an attempt to close the educational gap between government school students, who learn most of their lessons in English, and private school students, who are taught mostly in English. Keeping in mind issues related to cultural imperialism, we encourage our volunteers to respect and support the traditional Nepali culture, language and diversity they are immersed in, with an understanding of the value of English education in an increasingly Westernised and modernised economy.

You do not need formal teaching experience to work in one of our English teaching placements. We will provide basic TEFL training before you travel to your placement. There are often not a lot teaching supplies in schools and centres so volunteers are encouraged to bring books and materials useful for teaching English from their home countries and may need to buy some supplies, such as pencils and paper, once they are here. We also encourage volunteers with skills in areas such as art, craft, maths or sport, to share their knowledge with their students. Traditional Nepali schools often regard these kinds of activities as secondary. Your students will love your classes if you make them educational and enjoyable!

- Tami Nudel

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Best Volunteer Nepal is an Australian registered charity operating in
Australia and Nepal and in partnership with a local Nepalese organisation which
is registered with the social welfare council of Nepal as a non-profit volunteer organisation